2023 Best Schools in the Columbia, MO Area

• Columbia, MO•

• Private School•

• PK, K-12

• •
  Rating 4.35 out of 5  48 reviews

Parent: We started going to CIS in JK. At first, I have to admit, I was a little skeptical when my parents voiced for their grandchild to attend the school. After being there for 2 years, I truly can’t see us anywhere us. I love the smaller class sizes. I love how all the staff really get to know each and every kid. There academics program and the standard they hold the kids to is top notch. I also love how supportive and patient they are with the kids in helping them learn. We LOVE CIS!... Read 48 reviews

• grade A+

• Students 400

• Student-teacher ratio 8:1

• Columbia School District, MO•

• PK, 9-12

• •
  Rating 4.19 out of 5  428 reviews

Junior: Especially for Missouri, this is a great school. There are many clubs and activities available- Golf, Tennis, Football, Soccer, Speech and Debate, Math Team, Anime Club, Young Democrats, Young Republicans, Young Moderates, Rock Bridge Reaches Out, and more! We help you volunteer, and Rock bridge has an excellent Speech and Debate and Math team. 25 students were National Merit finalists or honorable mentions, while most schools are lucky to have any. We're also very close to the Columbia Area Career Center, so students can walk across the parking lot and take classes there for free- you can even become a certified EMT! There were some minor issues with in-school fights and drug usage, but we are repurposing the funds we used for our in-school police officer to help prevent this. We have a COVID-19 response based off of what other schools have been successful with. Students also are given a laptop to complete schoolwork with.... Read 428 reviews

• grade A

• Students 1,971

• Student-teacher ratio 18:1

• Madison, MO•

• Public School•

• K-8

• grade A

• Students 35

• Student-teacher ratio 5:1

• Columbia, MO•

• Private School•

• PK, K-12

• •
  Rating 4.5 out of 5  38 reviews

Parent: We love this school! Our kids are thriving in the small class environment where they get the required attention to grow both academically and in developing positive character traits. We are so glad we made this choice. The teachers are awesome, the environment is so positive and loving, like a healthy family environment. It is not one of those tiny private schools where they have no students or activities, they have a great sports program and plenty of fine arts opportunities. Plus the high school is also able to take advantage of the Career Center in Columbia as well. It is the best of both worlds! Even though our kids are 5 school years apart, they attend the same building from Pre-K to 12th grade. This was a nice bonus for us as well. If you're looking for a great school with top notch academics to send your kids to, definitely check this out!... Read 38 reviews

• grade A

• Students 419

• Student-teacher ratio 10:1

• Columbia School District, MO•

• PK, 9-12

• •
  Rating 3.87 out of 5  501 reviews

Sophomore: My school focuses on diversity, integrity, excellence, and tradition. In my opinion it's a very nice high school. My teachers are all very experienced and they care about their students. There are lots of clubs, sports, and activities for the students to get involved in. For example I'm going to do cheer in the up coming school year. The cheer team is strong and supportive and the coaches on the cheer team are very experienced. Some of the students at Hickman can sometimes be disrespectful or disruptive to their teachers or fellow students; there are also chances for some of the "popular girls" to bully other students. Though overall the school has everything under control and the students are able to have a safe and peaceful study environment.... Read 501 reviews

• grade A

• Students 1,920

• Student-teacher ratio 17:1

• Columbia School District, MO•

• 6-8

• •
  Rating 2 out of 5  2 reviews

• grade A

• Students 736

• Student-teacher ratio 14:1

• Blair Oaks R-II School District, MO•

• PK, K-4

• •
  Rating 4 out of 5  1 review

Senior: Blair Oaks is a really safe place for children. Violence is a rarity, stealing isn't common, and bullying is to a minimum.... Read 1 review

• grade A

• Students 398

• Student-teacher ratio 14:1

• Columbia School District, MO•

• PK, K-5

• grade A

• Students 214

• Student-teacher ratio 13:1

• Blair Oaks R-II School District, MO•

• 5-8

• grade A

• Students 373

• Student-teacher ratio 16:1

• Columbia School District, MO•

• PK, K-5

• grade A

• Students 575

• Student-teacher ratio 16:1

• Columbia School District, MO•

• PK, K-5

• grade A minus

• Students 273

• Student-teacher ratio 15:1

• Columbia School District, MO•

• PK, K-5

• grade A minus

• Students 405

• Student-teacher ratio 12:1

• Columbia School District, MO•

• PK, K-5

• grade A minus

• Students 455

• Student-teacher ratio 14:1

• Columbia School District, MO•

• PK, K-5

• grade A minus

• Students 620

• Student-teacher ratio 16:1

• Columbia School District, MO•

• K-5

• grade A minus

• Students 664

• Student-teacher ratio 15:1

• Columbia School District, MO•

• PK, K-5

• grade A minus

• Students 211

• Student-teacher ratio 12:1

• Columbia, MO•

• Private School•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 3.76 out of 5  37 reviews

Senior: I have really enjoyed my experience at Father Tolton, because of the people who are around me. The staff is very welcoming and helpful, and the community that the students build is like no other school. Everyone is always willing to lend a helping hand, and this school has brought me closer with my friends and in my faith. One thing that I would like to see changed is the number of whole school activities we do. I think we should be doing whole school activites a lot more often, so we can strengthen our school's community, and have the students build better friendships.... Read 37 reviews

• grade A minus

• Students 293

• Student-teacher ratio 14:1

• Columbia School District, MO•

• 6-8

• grade A minus

• Students 617

• Student-teacher ratio 12:1

• Columbia School District, MO•

• 6-8

• •
  Rating 3 out of 5  1 review

• grade A minus

• Students 510

• Student-teacher ratio 12:1

• Columbia School District, MO•

• PK, K-5

• grade A minus

• Students 452

• Student-teacher ratio 15:1

• Columbia School District, MO•

• K-5

• grade A minus

• Students 236

• Student-teacher ratio 15:1

• Cole County R-I School District, MO•

• 6-8

• •
  Rating 4.5 out of 5  2 reviews

Parent: I like the ratio of students to teacher. Due to small class sizes, I feel my child received great attention and help from teachers.... Read 2 reviews

• grade B+

• Students 149

• Student-teacher ratio 12:1

• Columbia, MO•

• Private School•

• K-12

• •
  Rating 4.15 out of 5  26 reviews

Alum: I attended Heritage Academy from 2008 to 2012 (8th grade to graduation), and looking back at my time there it has been one of the best decisions my parents ever made to have me go there. Heritage was a challenging yet fun atmosphere where I was blessed by having amazing teachers throughout my time there who taught a Christian worldview through every subject. My time at Heritage also served to prepare me for a rigorous college experience. Currently working at my Alma mater at Central Methodist University, I see a lot of freshmen who enter their first year and have a tough time transitioning to the college setting. When I first came to CMU, it just felt like another semester because I was prepared for what a classwork felt like and what was expected of me. This is what makes Heritage unique. It's essentially a college liberal arts education and puts students in a position to succeed at a high level after high school. I wouldn't trade my experience there for anything.... Read 26 reviews

• grade B+

• Students 117

• Student-teacher ratio 9:1

• Moniteau County R-I School District, MO•

• 6-8

• grade B+

• Students 332

• Student-teacher ratio 15:1

• Fulton School District, MO•

• K-5

• grade B+

• Students 237

• Student-teacher ratio 12:1